Catchin' Up
by wildblueyonder6
Summary: Sam, Dean & Adam PG 13/language. The boys are back together, Season 1 -The Pilot - Adam!verse AU Adam has been living as a Winchester since he was 12. Dean 26, Sam 22, Adam 18. Contains spanking of a teen, if this offends, please don't read. Not gettin pd


Title: Catchin' Up  
>Characters: Sam, Dean and Adam<br>Genre: Gen PG 13 for language  
>Disclaimer: I own nothing.<br>Summary: The boys are back together, circa Season 1, The Pilot. This is AU – Adam has been living as a Winchester since he was 12. Dean 26, Sam 22, Adam 18. Spoilers for the pilot, but hey, we've all seen that right?

XXX

Dean breathes a sigh of relief. It feels great to have both of his brothers together again. Safe and sound with nothing more than a few scratches to show that their first hunt together in four years has ended without too much trouble. The circumstances aren't the best but they often aren't where Winchesters are concerned.

Sam is disgruntled at leaving Jess, Adam is just plain disgruntled. Both of his brothers are hot and bothered.

None of this is surprising.

Sam's leaving for Stanford was hard on Dean but devastating for Adam. Initially it had hit Dean harder, but Adam was always closer to Sam than he ever was with Dean. Dean's not sure if it was because there is only a four-year age difference between Adam and Sam or simply the fact that Dean was always tougher on Adam then Sam ever was. Sam had always been the understanding brother, ready to intervene when Adam was in trouble with a gentle word or at most a half-hearted cuff. Sam was always the one to run interference for Adam, much like Dean did with Sam and Dad. Which is why Sam's sudden anger at Adam's stupidity is a little hard to understand.

"Damn it, Adam. What the hell is your problem?" Sam is seething, turning toward the back seat of the Impala and his younger brother like he might just clean his clock on principle alone.

"My problem? My problem? I don't have a problem, Sam, I have been hunting these past four years while you have been off playing college boy. I know what the fuck I am doing."

Dean swivels his eyes from one brother to another using his rear view and brief eye glances at Sam. It is like it is some kind of crazy ass tennis match that he really doesn't want to be involved in.

Adam is kind of right, he_ has_ been hunting but he is still just a kid, barely eighteen. He's a solid hunter with killer reflexes but without Dad around to rein in his youngest brother the boy has taken reckless up a notch. Dean has noticed as much, but has been letting his little brother work it out. This stupid stunt today is just one of several his little brother has pulled since Dad dropped out of the picture. Dean figures he owes the kid a little rope, even if it tightens around his neck once in a while, but this hunt has proved that his youngest brother is irresponsible and maybe even dangerous.

It's annoying to Dean but again, he's not terribly surprised. Adam has always been more hotheaded than Sam ever was, with a devil be damned attitude that has gotten him in more trouble through the years than he will care to admit. Dad has spent a considerable amount of time showing Adam the error of his ways. Dean has too, but Sam? Sam has always been the easy going one when it came to his little brother. Sam has always been patient and gentle, the epitome of understanding when teaching Adam what he needs to know. Dean has always taken a little more hands on approach with Adam and that's been a sore spot for his youngest brother in more ways than one.

"What the hell would make you think you should be walkin' down Centennial like some kind of supernatural chum?"

"My last girlfriend was three states over, Sam. And I wouldn't be unfaithful anyway." Adam juts his chin out at Sam, a come and get me challenge in his eyes.

"Well, we didn't really know everything, did we Adam? We didn't have all the pieces of the puzzle, so how unfaithful was unfaithful to Constance? Maybe the fact that you are probably never gonna see that girlfriend again was reason enough for her to consider that unfaithful? Besides, we never talked about it did we? We never gave you the go ahead to use yourself as bait."

"Whatever, Sam. I had a handle on it. I got it."

"You got nothing, Adam!" Sam roars and the timbre of his voice is far deeper than Dean has experience with. His little Sammy has grown up a bit.

"Yeah, well, I'm alive and the bitch is dead so just lighten up Sam." Adam leans back up against the driver side of the door in the backseat of the Impala. Adam slips the ear buds to the iPod in his ears and stretches as best as he can. Despite the battling ram she has been used as, the Impala's Detroit steel has more than held up to the beating on Breckinridge Road and even Dean is satisfied that both Adam and his girl are fine.

Sam, not so much.

"Pull over, Dean." Sam's voice is dark, ominous.

Dean flicks a quick eyebrow to Sam. It is questioning and concerned all at the same time.

"What? No."

"You heard me, Dean. Pull over." Sam doesn't often put that much bass in his voice, at least not where Dean is concerned.

Adam isn't paying any attention whatsoever, iPod blaring in his ears and hands laced behind his head. The kid looks positively, smugly relaxed.

"You sure, little brother?"

Sam nods grimly, his lips a straight-pursed line.

Dean shakes his head at the turn of events and pulls over to the side of the road.

Adam might not be paying attention but he can feel the rumble strips as the car pulls over, hears the crush and run under her tires. Immediately the youngest Winchester pulls his iPod out as the tinny sound of Bad Company filters through the device.

"What's up?" Adam doesn't sound worried, just curious. That is until Sam vaults out of his side of the Impala and grabs the passenger side of the back door. Sam reaches in and pulls his kid brother by the legs so that the younger boy slides out the back door with a grunt. His ass hits the gravel and he throws a quick look at Sam, brows arched and quizzical until suddenly it occurs to him what is happening.

"Oh, no man. This is not going down, not now, not 15 minutes from now. Not ever." But Adam scoots his ass up against the Impala, booted heels scrabbling at the gravel, trying to find purchase in the loose footing and to give himself as much protection as possible. Trying to put as much distance between him and his middle brother and using the Impala as a shield.

It's futile.

"It's happening, dude, so get your ass away from the car." Sam isn't yelling but again Dean hears that no-nonsense growl that is typical for Winchesters in beat down mode.

Adam ignores Sam, offers an imploring glance at Dean who has not moved from the drivers seat although he has turned off the Impala, her engine ticking in the quiet of the late evening. Dean half turns his head in understanding but he makes no effort to intervene.

"Sorry, dude. It's Sam's call."

"Sam's CALL?" Adam sound incredulous, his voice almost breaks like it did when he was fifteen. There is real worry in his voice and a slight tinge of terror that Dean totally sympathizes with but is not going to do anything to change.

Sam reaches down, oblivious of his little brother's discomfort, or maybe in spite of it, and drags Adam up from his ass on gravel position. He drops one hand to the back of his brother's neck and then with almost no effort at all, he pulls Adam to the front of the Impala and bends him over her hood. Adam struggles, but Sam has weight and surprise on his side and all the younger boy can do is wiggle ineffectively. Sam reaches around with a hand and unsnaps his brother's jeans pulling both the denim and his shorts down with blazing efficiency. Sam kicks his brother's legs apart as he pulls his own belt quickly from belt hoops. Dean can't hear the snick of leather through denim but he has heard it up front and personal before so he can fill in the blanks easily.

Dean has a front seat view of Adam's head turned slightly on the hood of his girl and then the pale white of his ass under early evening moon. For a moment, Dean grins, ass, moon, it is kind of funny. And then he hears the sharp crack of Sam's belt on Adam's ass. He doesn't hear the corresponding yelp from Adam, which means that his youngest brother is pissed and going to fight this whipping. Which means it is going to go on longer than necessary.

There is another sharp crack and Dean watches as Adam bumps into the hood of the car. Dean knows it's reflexive but he can't help but cringe a bit. Dean has never watched an ass whipping from the Impala's front seat before especially with the Impala being used so intimately. It gives him a perspective he has never seen. Dean isn't sure he likes it at all.

He doesn't ever remember Sam ever whaling on Adam really. Oh, there have been fistfights and an occasional sparring session that has gotten a bit too aggressive, but Sam has never spanked his littlest brother. But Sam's lack of experience as a spanker doesn't seem to affect his performance at all. Sam seems to have a solid grip on the mechanics of it. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Dean smiles because he figures it's Sam's own personal familiarity with getting his ass handed to him that makes him such an old hand at this.

Sam seems to be pretty intent on making sure that Adam thinks twice about ignoring Winchester protocol and running off by himself to hunt. Adam seems almost as intent on making sure that Sam doesn't get any satisfaction from the ass whipping. There is a soft grunting from his youngest brother as Sam whales on him from behind but there are no tears. He knows both Adam and Sam. Neither one is ever ready to give in when the think they are right. They both have gotten that honest -Winchester stubbornness runs deep. Finally there is some internal signal that tells Sam that the kid gloves are off because Dean watches as he suddenly swings hard through his arm. Dean swears he can hear the whistle of belt and that seems to do the trick. Adam slams his upper body hard into the car and lets out a yell that can probably be heard the whole way back in town.

"JESUS!" Adam bellows and Sam sends another sharp crack against his butt. Then two more in rapid succession. It occurs to Dean that maybe he should step in, calm Sam down and save Adam's ass from the blistering it so deserves. But he stops himself because this is between Sam and Adam and Adam _does _deserve this. Still, Dean turns his head away and shuts his eyes. He tries to focus on something, anything other than his little brother spanking his littler brother. Adam may deserve it, but that doesn't mean that Dean has to like it. He listens for the end. The last lick of leather as it kisses Adam's ass sounds sharp and then there is silence. When he doesn't hear another stripe Dean faces back to the windshield.

Dean watches as Sam leans over, his body heavy on Adam. Dean knows what that is like, Sam is big and strong and wrestling with him is never easy. Dean has found himself pinned under Sam's gigantor weight before. Dean can see the shock of Sam's brown hair as it falls over his face. Sam is speaking quietly to Adam, words so low that Dean can't hear. Both of his brothers are breathing heavy, he can see the rise and fall of their chests in the moonlight. Adam nods emphatically and although Dean doesn't really expect that Adam is saying yes, sir to his brother, the sentiment is just that exactly. It seems to have the desired effect on Sam. Sam straightens and backs away, re-threading his belt through the waistband of his jeans. Adam doesn't move at all, just lays panting in the moonlight until he manages to get himself together.

It doesn't take long after that, Adam stands and shakily pulls up his shorts and jeans. He steps away from the Impala then walks a few feet over to the side of the road and braces himself up against a tree. Dean can see just shadows, not Adam's face but Adam usually likes to take some time for himself if he's been on the receiving end of an ass whipping. Neither Dean nor Dad ever begrudge him those moments needed to compose himself. Sam doesn't seem to care either but he doesn't climb back into the front seat instead Sam watches Adam covertly from the quarter panel of the Impala.

So Sam waits outside the car. Dean waits inside.

Finally, Adam turns and makes his way to Sam. He stops in front of his brother, just outside the passenger door and Sam reaches over to drop his hand behind his brother's neck. It is affectionate and warm and Adam seems to lean into the touch just a bit.

"Sorry, Sam." Adam's voice is clear, with no trace of tears. The kid is tough. Dean sometimes thinks he is the toughest of all the Winchesters.

"Good. Let's not do this again okay?" Sam's voice is just as clear but Dean knows his brother, knows how hard it was for him to discipline Adam.

Dean leans over, almost half out the open passenger door. "Will you girls, c'mon? We got some driving to do."

They both nod, Sam folds himself into the front seat and Adam in the back. Dean catches a glimpse of his baby brother trying desperately to find a comfortable spot in the back seat. Finally, he lays down curled on his side, ass hanging off the seat as much as possible and positions the earbuds back in his ears.

Dean cuts a quick glance in Sam's direction as he turns over the engine. Sam stares resolutely ahead, his eyes fixed on some point in space in front of him as Dean pulls the Impala back out on to the interstate.

Sam ignores him.

They drive for a few minutes, no music on the radio, no sound from Adam, just Winchesters and the road.

Dean turns to Sam again, a faint smile playing on his lips.

It's noticed.

Sam offers Dean the bitch face, brows furrowed and lips pursed. "What? What's so funny?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

"Oh, there's something all right. Spit it out."

Dean's tentative smile grows and he arches a brow in Sam's direction.

"I'm just thinking how much more of a hard ass you are than the old man. "

"That's totally not fair." Sam huffs a bit of hair that has managed to fall down across his forehead. It's obvious that he doesn't want to be compared to John Winchester. "This wasn't the same thing at all."

"Yeah, you're right. Dad at least gave us some warning." Dean chuckles low. "You didn't even get one single…'Do not make me pull this car over, boy.' Before you started going all Ninja on his ass."

Sam chuffs quietly his face gazing stonily on the front windshield. Then from the backseat there is the muffled voice of Adam. It shocks Dean just a bit, he didn't even think the kid was paying attention. "Yeah, Sam. Isn't there some kind of Miranda Rights or something? Some kind of legal shit that gives a guy some warning? I mean, Dude, that was harsh."

Sam barks a laugh then, fox sharp and edgy. "Nope. And just to let you know Adam, I tried that Miranda stuff on Dad and it never worked." Sam drops his voice a notch or two and does a passable imitation of their father. "You don't have the right to remain silent, boy – in fact, if I was you, I'd start talkin' pretty damn quick." Sam laughs again, this time with a little more intent.

Dean interjects his thoughts as he settles into driving mode, one arm across the steering wheel and eyes on the road. "Maybe Sam, but usually with Dad at least you know it's coming. I mean the guy is kind of transparent when it comes to kickin' ass. You, on the other hand, that was totally out of left field."

Sam looks hard at his older brother. "That wasn't out of left field at all, if Dad were here do you think he wouldna walloped the hell out Adam for doing that shit? I mean, _you and I_ might find ourselves dancing out of reach from his belt if we did something so damn stupid." Dean ponders that for a minute and he has to agree because Sam has kind of nailed what his father's reaction would be to using yourself as bait for a psychopathic baby-drowning, young-man-killing Lady In White.

"Well, maybe Sam, but it's not something _you_ would do." Dean glances at Sam, waiting for a reaction to the statement.

Dean knows he has Sam at that one. Sam has always been the most vocal of all three boys when it comes to their father and his antiquated methods of discipline. It has never helped him get out of one single spanking, but that hasn't stopped Sam from trying to convince his father that walloping your kids is wrong.

Dean flicks his gaze to the rearview and he notices Adam pulling the iPod from his ears again.

"You know, Sam. You're pre-law and all. I would think you would have a greater respect for individual rights than Dad has. I think there should be some kind of precedent regarding corporal punishment. Or at least, give a kid some way to defend himself against this kind of shit. I mean, look at me. Dad's not even around and I'm still getting my ass beat." Adam pauses. Dean can almost hear the cogs in his little brother's head turning. Adam leans over the front seat. "Don't most states have some kind of law on the books regarding corporal punishment?"

Sam really laughs then. "I tried that with Dad too. I was eight the first time I pulled out the old, whippin' your kid is against the law defense. Turns out it's not. And really, Ads, do you think it would make a difference to Dad anyway? He's been breakin' laws since before you were born. Hell, _we've_ been breakin' laws since before you were born. Dad has never much cared if you break the law, as long as you don't get caught doing it."

Adam seems to think about his father and his father's punishments.

"Okay Sam, let's take Dad out of the equation. Let's just talk you and me. How can it be fair that you just made Dean pull the car over, _on the side of the interstate, _and made me _drop trou_ and then proceeded to spanked the hell out of me?" Adam is pretty smart, because tapping into Sam's innate sense of fairness is always a good idea.

"Your right, Adam. It's not fair. Not fair at all but I don't care about fair, what I care about is you not pulling some dumb ass stunt like that again."

Sam sounds resolute and firm. He's not budging on this.

"Besides, it's Winchester law. Doesn't matter if it is legal law."

Now Dean is really laughing because he can't believe that just came out of his brother's mouth.

"Man, Sam. College has made you a hard ass. Where's my bleeding heart, let's all hold hands and chant little brother? "

And that seems to piss Sam off. "I'm not a bleeding heart Dean. Besides, I just was worried that's all. The kid shouldn't have gone off like that. He's my little brother, I need to watch out for him."

"So the next time you do something stupid or run off then I have the right to beat your ass? Is that what your are saying?" Dean grins.

Adam has really perked up now and leans over even further. "Yeah, Sam, does The Big Brother Can Kick Your Ass Whenever He Wants To rule, apply to you too?"

"It's always applied Adam. Whether I wanted it to or not. But I'm a grown up now, over 21 so I'm legally out Dad _and_ Dean's responsibility." Sam sounds kind of smug. Just smug enough for Dean to have the last word.

"You oughta know by now Sam, you said it yourself, there's the law and then there is the Winchester law. Two totally different animals." Dean stops for dramatic effect. "If I was you I'd watch my step." Dean reaches over and slaps Sam hard on the thigh. It elicits a sharp yelp from his little brother.

And that is something all three boys can understand.

End.


End file.
